


The Couch

by tomfoolery14



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Boys In Love, Fluff, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-18
Updated: 2017-07-18
Packaged: 2018-12-03 23:12:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11542401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tomfoolery14/pseuds/tomfoolery14
Summary: ridiculously self indulgent drabble about the couch in alec’s office, thanks to the more in-depth shots we got of it in 2x16ORalec hates the couch in his office and magnus decides to do his part to make it a little less intolerable





	The Couch

Magnus was draped across the couch in Alec’s office, a book in his lap and a piece of melting chocolate in his free hand.

Alec glanced up from his files and couldn’t help but smile at the beautiful image he made. The light coming through the stained glass window acted as a rainbow backlight, surrounding Magnus in a beautiful glow. His fingers danced down each page as he read.  “You better finish that before it melts completely.”

Magnus looked up at Alec with a temporary expression of surprise, eyes wide at the interruption, but soon his lips drew up in a smirk. “Are you bothered I’ll get chocolate on your lovely sofa?” His tone was heavy with mockery.

“I don’t care. That couch is horrible.”

“I can fix that for you!” Magnus perked up, setting his book on the coffee table and putting the chocolate in his mouth so he had both hands free.

Alec laughed, shaking his head. “No, I shouldn’t. Who knows how long I’ll even get to stay here. I’m only the head because Jace appointed me. The Clave might decide to properly put someone in place.” His inflection had gone sad and pessimistic.

Magnus cooed softly and sat down, patting the spot next to him. “Well, the least I can do is help you adjust your attitude towards this unfortunate thing.”

Alec set down the file he had open and came over to the couch, sitting next to Magnus.

Magnus put his hand on the side of Alec’s head, caressing his temple lightly. With his other hand, he traced his index finger across Alec’s lower lip reverently. The remaining bit of liquefied chocolate smudged across it. He grinned and leaned forward to lick at it, gathering it on his tongue. “Sorry about that,” Magnus whispered against his mouth.

“Don’t be.” The sincerity with which Alec spoke surprised Magnus, causing him to freeze in his movements for a moment. Alec held Magnus’ hand at the wrist and sucked on his forefinger to retrieve the other glob of warm chocolate.

“I think you’ll find that there’s nothing a little magic can’t fix,” Magnus murmured.

 

*          *          *          *

 

“Dammit, Jace!” Alec sighed and dropped his head, leaning it on his hands.

“I’m sorry; I got there as fast as I could—”

Alec held up a hand to cut him off. “I know. Don’t apologize.” Shuffling papers on his desk with frustration, Alec looked over at Magnus who was scanning the bookshelf for something useful. “What do you suggest?”

“The more we can learn about the other Jonathan Christopher, the better prepared you’ll be to eliminate him as a last case scenario, or, preferably, persuade him to your side. His hate for Valentine will be unparalleled.” Magnus’s attention was still directed at the books, scanning the spines for titles.

Jace nodded. “I’m on it.” With that, he turned and left, closing the door behind him.

“Anything?”

Magnus shook his head. “I would expect the head of the Institute would have some resources available that weren’t useless. That doesn’t appear to be the case, however.” He turned to look at Alec and smiled. “Since you’re a reliable ally, I’ll do you favor.” His fingers glowed pale blue and with a snap of his finger, the bookshelf started to shimmer. “I loaned you a few of mine. For the time being.”

Alec joined him and looked over the new titles. “Rare curses, notes on antidotes, Downworlder histories… Magnus, this is amazing!” His face was bright, an excited grin on his face. Magnus could almost see the man Alec could have been in another life: young, enthusiastic mundane in a world without things lurking in the shadows, and the weight of the world sitting on his shoulders.

“It’s my pleasure, Alexander.” He grabbed one of the smaller books in pristine condition and went to sit on the couch. “This one is…personal, so to speak. I felt it would mean more to you than me.” Running his forefinger down the cover carefully, he looked back up at Alec. “This is my documentation of warlock politics from my second century forward. I figured maybe it would be something you would like to better understand. It’s not as…personal as you deserve, but its start.”

Alec joined him and put his hand over Magnus’. “I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you, too.” Magnus smiled and patted Alec’s hand softly. “If you’d like, I can read you some? It might help you recalibrate that pretty, frazzled brain of yours.”

Alec nodded and curled up against Magnus’ side, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. “I’d like that.”

 

*          *          *          *

 

With a yawn, Alec dropped his head down to the desk. “I need coffee.”

Isabelle rubbed at her forehead. “No, you need _sleep_. You’ve been awake for thirty two hours, Alec. Getting a couple hours of sleep will do a lot more good than continuing to burn yourself out until you go crazy.” She stood, stretching languidly. “I’m going to get coffee, and when I come back in here, you had better be asleep on that couch, Alexander Gideon Lightwood. I mean it. If you don’t, I’m bringing in the big guns; don’t think I won’t.” She snagged his stele from the corner of the desk. “And no more stamina runes for you.” Stuffing it down the front of her dress, she stalked out.

Alec groaned and rubbed at his temples. He had had a headache lodged just behind his eyes for most of the time he’d been awake. The ceaseless pounding against his skull was just about to tip him over the edge.

He opened the bottom drawer of his desk where he kept replacement steles only to find all of them gone. “The hell…?”

“Looking for these, Alexander?”

Recoiling from the drawer like a scolded child, Alec looked up with wide eyes.

Magnus was leaning against the doorframe, clutching the steles in his right fist and holding a drink carrier in the other. It held a large to-go coffee cup and two cheese Danishes. Isabelle was standing just behind his right shoulder. “I told you I was serious.”

“Thank you, my dear,” Magnus murmured with a smile, handing her the carrier. “As promised.”

“You’re the best.” Isabelle got up on tip toe, barely at his shoulder even in her heels, and kissed him on the cheek. “Please get him to sleep for a few hours.”

As soon as she was gone, Magnus approached Alec, arms open, and Alec fell into them sleepily. “Hi.” He too tired to raise his head enough to kiss Magnus properly, so he settled for mouthing at his neck wetly.

“Hi, baby,” Magnus whispered, and Alec could hear that he was smiling. Magnus rubbed his back lightly, and the softness of the touch made Alec melt. Their bodies were pressed flush against each other, and Alec felt more at peace than he had in days.

Magnus toted him over to the couch and laid Alec’s head in lap. His long, nimble fingers stroked through Alec’s soft hair. “You need to rest, my sweet.”

The feeling of magic in the air was palpable, humming against Alec’s skin, and he jumped slightly when he felt something soft being lowered onto him.

Magnus had summoned the cream colored blanket that rested of the back of the couch and tucked it around Alec tenderly. “Is there anything else I can do to help you fall asleep faster? Some warm milk, perhaps? Or peppermint tea? I find that helps me tremendously.”

“Can you just keep talking? I like the sound of your voice.” Now that he was lying down and warm, feeling sated, Alec could no longer fight how sleepy he was.

“Are you saying I put you to sleep when I talk?” Magnus teased, feigning insult.

“No, I just like how it sounds.”

Magnus paused for a moment, thinking of something to say when he remembered a poem he had always loved. “‘It was many and many a year ago, in a kingdom by the sea…’”

Alec closed his eyes, clinging to the warmth of Magnus’ words just as much as the warmth of the blanket.

 

*          *          *          *

 

Magnus and Alec were sitting close together on the couch, legs intertwined, as Magnus’s blue magic swirled above them. It formed a faint replica of the night sky, small glowing dots representing stars punctuating the swirls of galaxies and planets with their moons in orbit.

Alec had asked Magnus to teach him about the constellations. It was the one thing he had desperately wanted to learn as a child that he never got to study. There was never time. Maryse and Robert had told him it was silly for a soldier to worry about learning such things, so he had acquiesced. But now that he had Magnus, who had lived centuries and indulged in many different types of study, he could no longer deny his curiosity.

“What’s that one?” Alec asked, pointed at a small cluster.

Magnus chuckled to himself. “I was hoping you would ask about that one. Orion, the archer.” Leaning in to brush his lips against the shell of Alec’s ear, he whispered, “I look at the sky and search for my archer, watching over me.”

Alec squeezed Magnus’ hand softly. “Which one is your favorite?”

Magnus swirled his fingers slowly, and the sky projected above them started to change. Everything dissolved until Magnus flicked his fingers and small, solid orbs of blue arranged themselves. “Cassiopeia,” he murmured. “A classic.”

Alec admired the soft glow the pale blue wisps of magic cast on Magnus’ face. “It’s named after the wife of King Cepheus known for her vanity. She was, indeed, beautiful, but she was obsessed with proving she was the most beautiful of all the creatures. Poseidon was married to one of nymphs Cassiopeia insulted, and agreed to the appeal to punish her. He sent a sea monster after Cepheus’ kingdom. The king turned to an oracle to beg for guidance. The only way to appeal Poseidon was to sacrifice their daughter to the monster, so they obliged. Andromeda, however, was rescued by Perseus, who later married her.

“When the king and queen were killed by the head of Medusa at Perseus and Andromeda’s wedding, they were relocated to the sky as constellations.  Cassiopeia spends half of every year upside down as her punishment.”

“Why do you like that story? It’s depressing.” Alec nuzzled Magnus’ cheek softly.

“It’s a rather comforting lesson, I feel. What you put out into the world will come back to you, even if not until your end. We all will pay for what we’ve done.”

“Magnus…”

“We all have something to atone for, Alexander. It’s good to know we can at least depend on that truth.” A thin film of tears was visible in Magnus’ dark eyes.

“Hey. Just be here, with me.” Raising Magnus’ hand to his lips, Alec softly kissed his knuckles.

“You’re right.” Magnus looked over at him. “So. How do you feel about this couch now? It’s been a few weeks, and I’ve put lots of effort into its rehabilitation.”

Alec ran his hand lightly across the fabric of the pillow next to him, smiling softly. “It’s certainly not the first time you’ve changed my mind about something.”

**Author's Note:**

> anybody recognize the poem? it's annabel lee by edgar allan poe! i feel like it's the type of poem magnus would be fond of.
> 
> if you'd like to see me write something specific, you can send me a message at champagnemagnus.tumblr.com!


End file.
